Search This Site

03 August 2018

Textual description of firstImageUrl
Textual description of firstImageUrl
Textual description of firstImageUrl
Textual description of firstImageUrl

MusicOnline UK Teaching Notes - ABRSM Piano 2019/20 Grade 4 - A1

Bagatelle in C

Ludwig van Beethoven.

ABRSM Grade 4 Piano 2019/2020.



Teaching Notes

The major section of this Bagatelle, poses a challenge in achieving a good legato. The official ABRSM Teaching Notes  for this piece suggest, pedalling between each quaver beat may help maintain the legato, but the tempo for this section is quite fast and especially at Grade 4 level it might cause more messiness than help. In any case, it would be a good idea to practice a good legato fingering initially WITHOUT pedal to start. Some notes are impossible to make legato between successive chords, such as when there are repeated notes, but the technique is to lift those notes which are repeated and make the rest of the chord legato.


This page will be a resource for students and teachers taking the ABRSM Piano Exams 2019-2020, including audio samples, teaching notes and video tutorials.

Get the Official ABRSM Teaching Notes HERE

Another thing to bear in mind is that the dynamics are editorial suggestions only. You may have noticed that the video performance above uses different dynamics to those printed in the ABRSM Grade 4 book. Have a listen again if you didn't catch this the first time. For example, I played bars 5 and 6 piano returning to a mezzo forte in bar 9. Feel free to experiment, the examiner will give credit for creativity that is in keeping with the style and character of the piece.
In the minor, middle section, always be sure to keep the LH quieter than and just supporting the RH. This tonal control will also help achieve a good mark in the exam.

Finally, notice again in the performance above, that the tempo is not always strict. There is often an easing of the tempo towards the ends of phrases. As before, listen again and see if you can spot this.


Did you know....

You can get a personal appraisal of your performance of this or any other ABRSM Piano Exam piece as a Patron of MusicOnlineUK. Click HERE for more details

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments with external links not accepted and WILL BE DELETED

SHEET MUSIC